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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be really worried, DD teacher left

53 replies

Inky87 · 07/10/2025 00:26

My DD is in y1 and her teacher is leaving due to stress. The other y1 class also has a supply since start of new term. At the moment, both classes are going to be taught by supply teachers, for the foreseeable. And it could potentially be different ones. Aibu to be worried about the impact? Also my DD isn’t great with change.

OP posts:
Libellousness · 07/10/2025 00:35

Of course you’re not unreasonable to be worried about the impact of this instability on your daughter and her education. What parent wouldn’t be? So why are you posting this in AIBU?

ilovesooty · 07/10/2025 00:53

I don't know how you know that the teacher is leaving due to stress, but if the school is struggling with staff recruitment and retention I'd be concerned about it not being a happy place to work and learn in.

Gloriousgoard · 07/10/2025 01:02

I’d not worry too much in the short term because at the age she’s at she’ll probably not remember it, will be safe and play with her friends. Supply teachers aren’t under the cosh of awful academy chains and their management heavy bs, they’re free. Long-term though, I’d be looking at moving schools because something school managers fail to understand is that if they don’t treat teachers well, teachers can’t be as good as they are capable of being because they lose sleep/ appetite/ health and wellness which obviously isnt going to be great for the kids.

ButterPiesAreGreat · 07/10/2025 01:38

There are good supply teachers and bad ones. I’ve known the good ones to end up with permanent jobs with schools. It’s not necessarily a bad thing although odd the teacher is leaving now, or is she staying in till Christmas?

sundaychairtree · 07/10/2025 02:06

How do you kbow she left because of stress?

PrincessOfPreschool · 07/10/2025 02:42

This happened to my DD. Her Y3 teacher left at half term. I was relieved as she was pretty awful, perhaps reacting out of stress but she wasn't very nice to the kids. The supply they got in stayed the whole year and DD really liked him. So it's not always a bad thing. However, I do agree with PP that if there's a high staff turnover then there may be something going on with the school.

CuddlyPug · 07/10/2025 02:44

Something similar happened to my son and it was a complete disaster. There was an inexperienced person with a large class and nobody ever noticed my son had no idea about words or letters or their sounds. We had to spend the long summer vacation painstakingly teaching him ourselves. He had a very good memory and just turned the pages as he recited what he remembered - till he accidentally turned two pages at once and we realised he wasn't reading, he was reciting.

user1492757084 · 07/10/2025 04:24

While this situation is evolving, book a weekly private tutor for your DD who can supervise her learning while this turmoil is in place.
You don't want to look back and see that she missed understanding large sections of concepts.

I would also get her into a club or hobby that has consistent leaders - like Scouts, Sunday School or a brass band or ballet etc.
Then whatever eventuates at school she will always have her security of hobby friends and customs.

CurlewKate · 07/10/2025 04:48

Of course you’re not unreasonable to be worried and keep an eye on the situation although it’s not automatically a bad thing to have supply teachers. I would be worried about a school where you know a teacher’s medical information, though-it suggests dodgy management.

sashh · 07/10/2025 04:52

I did supply, I was in secondary but long term cover is the Holy Grail of supply. You basically get to be a member of staff.

weatherkarma · 07/10/2025 04:57

Libellousness · 07/10/2025 00:35

Of course you’re not unreasonable to be worried about the impact of this instability on your daughter and her education. What parent wouldn’t be? So why are you posting this in AIBU?

Presumably because the OP wanted some constructive advice or reassurance, as has been helpfully provided buy posters other than yourself?

FarmedPickle · 07/10/2025 05:14

@Inky87

Yes this happened to us. We’ve also had 4 and 5 year olds being excluded, off rolling, hostility from the school.

I don’t rely on the school. My daughter had a far better education 10 years ago. I’ve taught DS to read, write, do maths using online apps - or regular simple writing practice. I’ve bought my own reading scheme books as the school just send out 2 books each week and DC has been on the same level for over a year. Some books DC has repeated 5 times already.

I think upper primary and secondary are still good. But I worry about the children who are lost to the system by then because of poor lower primary teaching.

Globules · 07/10/2025 06:42

If there's 2 yr1 classes, it sounds like a 2 form entry, meaning 350+ pupils, yes?

If the school is that big, there should be existing lesson plans in place for the supply teachers to use. There'll also be a number of staff around in yr2/reception to support. There's likely a phase leader/assistant head of infants/KS1 whose job it will be to make sure the supply teachers are delivering the educational diet your child needs.

I'd say there's nothing to worry about at the moment. See how it plays out. If there's no permanent teacher in place after Christmas, then I'd reconsider your options.

TheNightingalesStarling · 07/10/2025 06:54

Due to various factors, one of my DDs never had the same teacher for more than 2 terms until Yr5, including long term supply teachers. (Maternity leaves, Covid, leaving for a promotion... it was never anything to do with the children!). Even a Teaching assistant for a term, but they did useful to be a teacher but hadn't worked as one for five plus years.

Her academic education was excellent. Supply teachers are still qualified. Her schools were pleasant places to be.

Whats more concerning is what the general atmosphere of the school is like. Is Yr1 an anomaly with the rest of the school functioning fine, or is this a pattern across the whole school?

User79853257976 · 07/10/2025 06:57

user1492757084 · 07/10/2025 04:24

While this situation is evolving, book a weekly private tutor for your DD who can supervise her learning while this turmoil is in place.
You don't want to look back and see that she missed understanding large sections of concepts.

I would also get her into a club or hobby that has consistent leaders - like Scouts, Sunday School or a brass band or ballet etc.
Then whatever eventuates at school she will always have her security of hobby friends and customs.

Edited

The OP won’t need a private tutor - she can do it herself.

sittingonabeach · 07/10/2025 06:57

Teacher retention/recruitment is dire at the moment, so it could be that the school has just been unlucky to be hit by both issues in that year group.

Or it could be a sign that all is not well in the school. How do other parents feel about the school especially if they have children in other year groups, has there been a change in leadership, has the school recently joined a Trust?

savoycabbage · 07/10/2025 06:58

sashh · 07/10/2025 04:52

I did supply, I was in secondary but long term cover is the Holy Grail of supply. You basically get to be a member of staff.

A lot of people are doing supply because they want to rather than they can’t get a job. They don’t want to be a member of staff. Especially in a school where a teacher is off because of stress!

You are right to be worried but it might be fine so I’d wait a few weeks before you get too worried. It’s quite a common situation unfortunately.

PardonMeNot · 07/10/2025 06:59

Libellousness · 07/10/2025 00:35

Of course you’re not unreasonable to be worried about the impact of this instability on your daughter and her education. What parent wouldn’t be? So why are you posting this in AIBU?

Well that certainly is a helpful reply. 🙄

mamagogo1 · 07/10/2025 06:59

My friends do long term supply, she does 2 days a week reception, teacher wanted to go part time, he has taught year 6 for several years in the same school but prefers supply to permanent contracts because he can take 2 weeks a year off for his hobby

Shinyandnew1 · 07/10/2025 07:04

Have the school told you that the teacher is leaving due to stress? That's not information I think parents should be given, tbh.

Sadly teachers are leaving next right and centre due to the dire situation within in education at the moment so this is probably something that parents need to get used to, sadly.

PollyBell · 07/10/2025 07:08

People leave jobs it is normal, how do know it was stress you were told personally or gossip?

Your child may cope better if you are not stressed about it

Theroadt · 07/10/2025 07:10

My son had this - three teachers covering one year in Y1. It did have an impact.

Itstheshowgirl · 07/10/2025 07:13

Yes how do you know it’s because of stress?

I suspect this is just a new way of presenting the almost weekly ‘don’t teachers just have the worst job ever?’ MN thread.

NET145 · 07/10/2025 07:14

Libellousness · 07/10/2025 00:35

Of course you’re not unreasonable to be worried about the impact of this instability on your daughter and her education. What parent wouldn’t be? So why are you posting this in AIBU?

you’re being unreasonable by asking whether you’re being unreasonable LOL

Han86 · 07/10/2025 07:14

How do you know the teacher is leaving due to stress? If the school are sharing confidential information about staff I would be concerned about the school overall.

What have the school said their long term plans are?
Is the supply in the other class day to day or long term?
Will they recruit a member of staff from Jan for both classes?